Riverview Landfill Director Submits Plan of Action for Excessive Odor

Landfill Director Bob Bobeck submitted a plan of action to reduce excessive odor emitting from the Riverview Land Preserve after the.

Bobeck submitted the at a meeting with officials from the Land Resource Management Division and the Department of Environmental Quality for Wayne County.

Patrick Cullen, acting director of the Land Resource Management Division, asked Bobeck to submit the plan after receiving nearly 30 complaints regarding odor in March.

Cullen said Bobeck listed about 15 different actions in the plan, each with different time frames, and is confident the plan will be successful in reducing odor.

Two of the major actions in the plan include:

• Moving the current active cell near King Road to an area located near the top of the landfill during the summer months.
• Looking into purchasing a backup flare to burn off excess gas.

Cullen said moving the cell higher up the hill will likely reduce the amount of odor impacting the surrounding neighborhoods, specifically to the south.

“Especially with the summer when people are more likely to have their windows open,” Cullen said.

He added purchasing an additional flare could take time because Riverview City Council members must approve the purchase.

“It’s going to be an important thing for them to have,” Cullen said. "If they’re generating more gas than the plant can handle they have to have a place to send the gas to."

The facility currently has one flare, but is generating more gas than the plant and flare are able to process according to Cullen.

Cullen said he thinks excessive gas generated by the landfill is the cause for the odor that Trenton residents have been complaining about, and is confident the new plan of action would reduce those odors.

“I am optimistic … I do think they are taking the appropriate steps to address to the problem,” Cullen said. “We’re comfortable with the steps that Riverview has been taking and are confident that they’re going to have the problem resolved.”

Cullen said taking in more garbage than the facility can handle is not a factor in the landfill’s excessive odor.

The facility must operate in compliance with state law, which is very specific and has a permitted volume capacity. The landfill has not exceeded this capacity.

“I don’t think the drive for volume or profit should have an impact on the people who live around the facility,” Cullen said.